Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-05-27
THE ADDISON COUNTY TEACHERS.
The Last Day of the Institute Lectures
by DIR. Mowry and Prof. Wager


MIDDLEBURY, May 20.-There was an
other packed house at last nights session
of the Teachers Institute every body who
was in the night before being anxious to
hear the continuation of Dr. Mowry's his
torical lecture. The title was Oregon
writer's ride across the continent, and
what came of it." DIR. Mowry at the start
went on with his history of our acqus-
tons of territory. He told how we pur-
chased Florida from Spain in 1919, Texas
was added in 1S45 and then came the pur-
chase of California and New Mexico.
Then came the Gadsden purchase and the
acknowledgment of our right to Oregon,
which included what are known as Ore
gon, Washington and Idaho. Dr. Mowry
gave history of the controversy between
the slave and free States and told how the
balance of power was maintained between
them in the Senate for more Chan 80 years
after the beginning of the present CEN
fury. Then he narrated the story of the
explorations of the Oregon territory and
told how the first Protestant missionaries
happened to be sent out among the In
dians of that country. The first mission
aries were Methodsts, then the Baptists
followed, then Rev. DR.. Parker and DR..
Whitman were sent out by the American
board Whitman returned to Boston,
married, and in 1896 with a Rev. Mr..
Spalding returned to the Oregon country.
Mrs. Whitman and Mrs. Spalding We're
the first women who ever, crossed the
Rocky mountains. Then he told how
the Hudson's Bay company were try
ing to get possession of that country
for England and how DR.. Whitman de
termined tolthwart'the company's schemes
by returning to Washington and warning
the government of what was about. Then
he recounted the various steps of Dr.
Whitman's journey across the country
from Washington Territory to st. Louis
and thence to Washington, where he ar
rived only to learn that the Webster-Ash-
burton treaty had been signed. DR..
Whitman's adventures on this journey
with party of 500 emigrants formed the
main theme of DR.. Mowry's discourse,
and the tale was listened to with breath
less interest. Upon their getting to
the missionary station, the Amer-
cans with the 500 new emigrants were
able to outvote the English and so went to
work and formed the first provisional
government of the territory.
DIR. Whitman, with IA others. was after
ward murdered by the Indians because
some Indians whom he had been treating
for diseases died. Dr. Mowry concluded
his lecture with an account of the eli
mate, soil and resources of that great new
northwest country.
A good many teachers arrived this
morning and there were lO7 present which
is an unusually large number. The pro-
ceedings this morning were begun with
the usual devotional exercises Rev. Dr.
White of Middlebury conducting them
Superintendent Wright of Waltham
read a paper advocating an increase in the
number of normal schools and thought
that section 474 of the revised laws ought
to be amended by substituting shall" for
may" so that when there is graded
school situated in county in which there
lished in connection with it a training
school.
DR.. Mowry gave the result of spelling
exercise which he gave out yesterday. OF
the Al papers returned to him with the
spelling of the 10 words given out three
had all the words spelled correctly and the
general average was IS.
Miss A. j. Phelps of Orwell read an eX-
cellent essay entitled 1.-THE Master Spirit
of the School Room" DR.. Mowry follow
ed with some remarks on arithmetic, with
examples of methods of computing inter-
est and discount.
This afternoon Principal Hoffnagle of
the Beeman academy, New Haven, pre-
sented an excellent paper entitled 1.-THE
Importance of Teaching Principles" 1t
was a well-written effort, and Mr.. Hoff-
maggie supplemented his manuscript with
SOulc vi Hduu ItL1dThS Ou Iue SuDJeCu,
called out by remarks made by others dur
ing the day.
Principal Griswold of Bristol made
some remarks upon "Some defects of our
common schools and how to remedy
them" He made a brief but praiseworthy
address, which was presented in happy
manner.
The question box was opened and it was
found to contain a varied assortment of
conundrums to which answers were
wanted.
Prof. Wager progressed, in few appre-
clatlve remarks, vote of thanks to DR..
Mowry, which was given by very en-
phatic rising vote. DR.. Mowry said few
closing words in reply, and the session
was over.
Tonight Prof. wager lectured on "Some
experiences in Italy" 1t has been one of
the most largely attended and most sue
cessful Institutes ever held in the State,
and this great success was achieved main
ly through the efforts of State Superin-
tendpnt Dartt Sunerintendent Palmer